Meat cutter



Aug. 2 2, 1939. .1. A. ARvANlTls 2,170,512

MEAT GUTTER Filed Aug. 2o, 1957 4 sheets-'sheet 1 .1f A. ARvANlTls Aug. 22, 1939.

MEAT CUTTER Filed Aug. 20, 1937 4 Sheets- Sheet NNN.

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Aug. 22, 1939. .1. A. MQVANITIS` 2,170,512

MEAT CUTTER Filed Aug. 2o, 193'/ 4 sheets-'sheet 3 Aug. 22, 1939. J. A. ARVANITIS I MEAT CUTTER Filed Aug. 20, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 252' me rz far.

Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 20,

Claims.

This invention relates to machines for cutting and slicing meat products and the like.

'I'he general object of this invention is to provide an improved machine for cutting and slicing ,5l meat or other allied types of food products.

Other related objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fully in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a separate view in elevation of the reciprocating frame element thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of the reciprocating knife element shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a plan View of one of the advancing frame members;

Fig. 6 is a similar View of an auxiliary advancing frame;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation taken along the lines 1-1 of Fig. 1;v

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 8 8 of Fig, 7, illustrating the circular knives in operative position;

Fig. 9 is a plan View of the subject matter of Fig. 3 and associated parts;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken along the line |0|0 of Fig. 1 showing the advancing frames in retracted position;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation taken along the line of Fig. 4;

Fig. 12 is a plan view, partly broken away, illustrating the longitudinal cutting knives; and

Fig. 13 is a separate prospective view of a modified form of one of the cutter elements.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to Figs. l and 11, I show a cutting and slicing machine comprising a frame having a right hand frame member 2|, a left hand frame member 22 and an intermediate frame member 23, the latter substantially forming compartments with framemembers 2|Y and22, said o frame members being secured together by a top or platform 24 and tie rods 25 suitably secured thereto. A right hand sup-porting table 25 is supported by the frame members 2| and 23 by forward ears 21 and bolts 28. A pair of lugs 29 depend downwardly from table 26 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully explained; Similarly, a left hand supporting table 26a having forward ears 21a is secured by bolts 28a to frame members 22 and 23. Notch 30 is provided in the forward end of table 26 and a notch 30a is simi-v larly provided in table 25a (Fig. 12) for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

A'plurality of elongated apertures 3| are formed. in the rear portion of table 26, and a plurality of reciprocating cutting knives 32 are supported 1937, Serial No. 160,042

(Cl. 14S-78) by pairs of stud pins 33 adapted to extend through apertures 3| and are supported by reciprocating plate 34 which is slidably supported by a pair of bearing bars 35 which are secured to the Linder side of table 26 by bolts 36. A pair of V-shaped angle members 31 are supported at their ends to frame members 2| an-d 23 respectively and have a track portion 38 and a transverse brace portion 39 and, similarly, a pair of angle members 31a are supported to frame members 22 and 23 and have track portion 38a and transverse brace portion 39a. An advancing frame 40 is supported by front cross plate 4| and a rear cross plate 42, plates 4| and 42 being secured to a pair of angle members 43 adapted for slidable support in track 38. An advancing block 44 is suitably secure-d to frame 40 and is provided with a plurality of slots 45 in the rear portion and recesses 46 in the top thereof. An advancing frame 40a is supported by front cross plate 4|a and a rear cross plate 42a, plates 4|a, and 42a being secured to a pair of angle members 43a adapted for slidable support in track 38a. An advancing block 44a. is suitably secured to frame 40a and .is provided with a plurality of slots 45a in the rear portion and recesses 46a in the top thereof.

A pair of lugs 41 depend downwardly from cross plate 4| and each has an aperture for a rod 48 and secured at the rear end by lug 29 depending from table 26 and at the forward end by bracket 49 secured to cross brace 39. A compression spring 50 is mounted on rod 48 and sets against lugs 29 and 41, and a cushion spring 5| is similarly located between lug 41 and bracket 49. Similarly, a pair of lugs 41a depend downwardly from cross plate 4| and each has an aperture for rod 48a and secured at the rear end by lug 29 and at the forward end by bracket 49a secured to brace 39. A compression spring 50a is mounted on rod 48a and sets against lugs 29a and 41a, and a cushion spring 5| a is similarly located between lugs 41a and bracket 49a.

A motor 52 is suitably mounted on top 24 and has a driving pinion 53 in engagement with a clutch gear 54 which is loosely mounted on a main shaft 55 and has a clutch disc flange or splined collar 56 keyed or splined thereto. A clutch operating arm or lever 51 is pivoted to a bracket 58 having an abutment 59 adapted to serve as a latch for operating arm 51. A clutch spring 69 is suitably positioned between clutch disc 56 and a collar secured to shaft 55. Shaft 55 is further provided with a gear 6| which meshes with a gear 62 on a control shaft 63 suitably mounted on frame member 2| and a bearing post 64 suspended from top 24. A pivot gear 65 is secured to shaft 63 and meshes with a bevel gear 66 on a vertical shaft 61, the lower end of which is supported by thrust bearing 68 and a flanged bracket 69 secured on frame member 2 I. A guide bracket 'I0 is secured to member 2| and serves as a guide for shaft 6l and a support for a gear 7|, also secured to shaft 5l.

A pinion 'i2 meshes with and is driven by gear 1| and is slidably mounted on a square shaft '|3. An upper guide bracket 14 for gear 'I2 is also suitably secured to frame 2|. Crank disc 'l5 is mounted on. shaft 63 and has a crank pin 15 pivotally connected to one end of link Tl, the other end of which is pivotally connected t a stud pin T8 and a bracket T9 is secured to a vertically oscillatory or reciprocatory frame 88. (Figs. 2 and 11). Frame Bil has a top rail 8|, a bottom rail 82, a right hand side rail 83, a left hand side rail B4 and a top extension 85. Rails 83 and 84 and extension 85 serve as guides for the vertical movement of the frame. An extension guide member 85 is secured to side rail 83 and is formed with an upper bearing member 8l and a lower bearing member 88, members 8? and 88 being provided with adjustable bearing blocks 85 in which a crank shaft 90 is retained. Shaft S8 has a crank 9| and is secured by pin 92 to shaft 73. A crank link 33 is connected by a pivot 94 to ay cross cutter frame 95 which extends through an aperture 56 in guide member 85 and is supported at the eX- treme end` by bearing lug 91 on side rail 84. (Figli.) Appropriate slots 38 are formed in frame members 2|, 22 and 23 to permit the cutter frame 55 to extend therethrough. A knife blade S3 and a saw blade |55 are secured as by nuts |0| to frame`95.

A gear |82 is partially supported by bracket 'l0 and meshes with and is driven by pinion 72. Gear |52 is secured to and drives a vertical shaft |53, which is mounted between brackets 69 and 10. Shaft |53 is provided with a thrust bearing |04 mounted on bracket 59. A bevel gear |85 is secured to and driven by shaft |53 and meshes with and drives a bevel gear |55 connected to a countershaft |87 suitably supported by bearings between frame members 2| and 23. (Fig. il.) A pair of eccentric cranks |58 are secured to shaft i3? and oscillate a pair of links |89, each link having a pivot connection H8 with a lug i!! secured on. the underside of reciprocating plate 34. A bracket H2 is secured on the forward face of bottom rail 82 and provides a pivot H3 for a pawl H4, there being a spring urging pawl M4 outwardly from rail 82. Pawl lili has a sidewardly extending pin l5 and a pointed abutment end I l. A shaft ||S is rotatable in bearings H9 mounted on frame members 2l and 23' and carries ratchet wheel adapted to be engaged and actuated by abutment lil of pin lli whereby each time frame 84 is raised from its lowermost position, shaft ||8 will be rotated a few degrees. A locking ratchet wheel |2| is mounted on the free end of shaft H8 and is adapted to be engaged by a latch lever |32 pivoted at |23 on frame 2| lever |22 being provided with a spring |24 for normally retaining the latch of lever |22 in engagement with ratchet wheel |2|. A pair of drums |25 are secured on` shaft H8 and each drum is partially wound with a cable |25, the free end of which is secured to a pivoted cable clamp |37 pivoted in an end of an arm |28, the latter being pivoted at its center at |29 to cross plate 4i of advancing frame 48.

A pawl releasing lever |38 has a downwardly extending arm |3| provided with a cam surface |32 and is supported by guides |33 and |34 secured between frame members 2| and 23 and upwardly extending pin |35 at the forward end of lever is adapted to move into notch 30 when actuated by lug on plate 4| of advancing frame 4U. Lug |31 is. provided on lever |30 and a lug |38 is provided on guide |34, and a compression spring |39 is positioned on guide rod |40 which is supported by lugs |31 and |38. Frame member 48 has an abutment edge |4| by which the forward movement of the advancing frame 40 is limited.

A bracket ||2a is secured on rail 82 similarly to bracket H2 and the elements numbered H2 to |4| are duplicated for the advancing frame a by similar elements numbered ||2a to |4la. inclusive, the latter being positioned between frame members 22 and 23, the former being between frame members 2| and 23 as described hereinabove.

In Fig. l1 I show an article of food |42, such as meat, which is to be operated upon, by the machine, the meat being held on supporting table 26 under pressure from a hold plate |43, the underside of which is formed with a number of ribs |44, plate |43 being maintained under a pressure from suspension rods |45 which are held in position by tubular guide members |46 secured to top 24, the upper ends of rods |45 being secured to a pressure plate |41, there being a compression or contractile spring |48 on each rod |45 above top 24 and Vbelow plate |41. An eccentric cam disc |49 is secured to a shaft i5li which is appropriately supported by bearing brackets |5| mounted on top 24. Operating arm |52 is secured to shaft |55 by which arrangement it will be apparent that the force applied to arm |52, either manually or in any other suitable manner, will be transmitted through disc |49, plate |41', rods |45, to plate |43 and meat |42 during the cutting and slicing operations. A similar hold down plate |43a is provided for supporting table 25a and parts numbered |43 to |52 are duplicated by the parts numbered |43a to |52a inclusive.

In Fig. 8 I show an article of food |53, which may be a meat product containing bones or the like, positioned on table 26a. A shaft |54 is supported between frame members 22 and 23 and is provided with a rock arm or handle |55 and a pair of rock arms |56 between the outer ends of which is mounted a shaft |51 adjacent a plurality of slots which extends through slots |58 formed in frame members 22 and 23. A plurality of knife discs |59 are carried and rotated by shaft |51 which is driven by a gear |35, which in turn is driven by a gear 54 whenever shaft |54 is rocked `by rock arms |55 by appropriate manipulation of rock arm |55. A plurality of slots |6| are formed in the rear portion of table 26a whereby knife discs |59 protrude above the level of the table. Advancing block 44a is provided with an undercut recess |52 likewise to form a clearance for discs |59.

A meat which has been cut and sliced is received on chutes |63 and conveyed to the receiving container |64.

In Fig. 13 I show a modified form of cutter 32h having a laterally extending blade 32C. Cutters 32h may, if desired, be substituted for cutters 32.

The operation of the machine should be apparent from the foregoing description. The cutters 32 are reciprocated by the action of links |09 driven by eccentric cranks |08 mounted on shaft |81 and slice the meat |42 by vertical cuts as the meat is advanced by advancing block 44,

which is advanced by cables |26 which are Wound on the drums |25, the latter being actuated from ratchet Wheel |20 from pawl I4 which reciprocates vertically on frame 8D, the latter being actuated by link 'l1 connected to crank pin 16 on countershaft 63. When block 44 has been advanced to the extremeforwardposition, lug |36 engages pin |35 connected to paWl release lever |39 releasing pawl H4 from ratchet Wheel |29 and the operator by releasing the latch lever |22 from ratchet wheel l2 I, the advancing table will be returned by the action of spring 50 which has been compressed during the: forward movement of the table. In a similar manner the meat on table 26a is advanced and cut by the rotary knives |59 which, as set forth hereinabove, are adapted for cutting meat containing bones or analogous substances. During the cutting, as just described, the cross cutter frame 95V carrying knife 99 and saw |99 is reciprocating transversely by the action of crank link $3l being operated on vertical shaft 9|), and the meat is cut transversely or into cubes each time the frame 89 is lowered and raised completing a transverse cut, the advancing frames and 46a and blocks 44 and 44a are advanced by the action of pawl ||4 and ratchet wheel |20 and paw] ||4a and ratchet wheel 429:1. v

The operation of the cutters |59 is selective, being operated only when gear |69 is in mesh with gear 54 which is effected by a manipulation of rock arm |55, as particularly set forth hereinabove.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cutting machine as described comprising a frame, a horizontal track thereon, a tabley on said frame, a reciprocable pusher block on said track' and table, a plurality of longitudinal cutters adjacent an end of said table, a transverse cutter adjacent said table end, a vertically reciprocable frame, said transverse cutter being supported in said vertically reciprocable frame, and actuating means for said cutters, said actuating means adapted to advance said pusher block during the actuation of said cutters, tension means tending to normally return the block to one position and resisting the advance of the block, and means actuated upon the block reaching a certain position to release the advancing means.

2. A cutting machine as described comprising a frame, a horizontal track thereon, a tabl-e on said frame, a reciprocable pusher block on said track and table, a plurality of longitudinal cutters adjacent an end of said table, a transverse cutter adjacent said table end, a vertically movable frame, said transverse cutter being supported in said vertically movable frame, actuating means for said cutters, means actuated by said frame during its cutting movement adapted to advance said pusher block during the actuation of sald cutters, said means including a pawl on said frame and a ratchet Wheel engageable therewith, and a locking ratchet for said ratchet wheel, spring means tending to normally return the block to its initial position and adapted to be compressed during the advance, and means actuated by the advance to release the locking latch whereby the spring means will return the block to its initial position.

' 3. A meat cutter comprising a frame having horizontal supporting portions with tables, pairs of tracks, pusher blocks having recesses longitudinally on the top thereof, a vertical frame portio-n divided into compartments, power means on the frame, a vertical oscillatory frame on the vertical frame adjacent one end of the table, means operable at will from the power means toactuate the oscillatory frame, horizontal movable cutters also operable from said power means and movable across the oscillatory frame, means for guiding the same and the oscillatory frame, means for advancing the pusher blocks upon each oscillation of the oscillatory frame, longitudinal cutters operatively carried by the horizontal frame portions and adapted to be actuated normally to the first mentioned cutters, means operated upon actuation of the lastnamed cutters to store up energy forreturning the pusher blocks and cutters to initial positions, means to release the latter means upon the limit of movement thereof being reached.

4. A meat cutter comprising a frame having horizontal supporting portions with tables, pairs of tracks, pusher blocks having recesses longitudinally on the top thereof, a vertical frame portion divided into compartments, power means on the frame, a vertical oscillatory frame on the vertical frame adjacent one end of the table, means operable at will from the power means to actuate the oscillatory frame, horizontal movable cutters also operable from said power means and movable across the oscillatory frame, means for advancing the pusher blocks upon each oscillation of the oscillatory frame, longitudinal cutters operatively carried by the horizontal frame portions and adapted to be actuated normally to the first mentioned cutters, means operated upon actuation of the last named cutters to store up energy for returning the pusher blocks and cutters to initial positions, means to release the latter means upon the limits of movements thereof being reached, said means to store up energy being actuable from the oscillatory frame, and adjustable means to limit the movements of the last nam-ed means.

5. A meat cutter comprising a frame having horizontal supporting portions with tables, pairs of tracks, pusher blocks having recesses longitudinally on the top thereof, a vertical frame portion divided into compartments, drive means on the frame, a vertical oscillatory frame on the vertical frame adjacent one end of the table, means including an operative connection operable from the drive means to actuate the oscillatory frame, control means therefor, horizontal movable cutters also operable from said drive means and movable across the oscillatory frame, means for advancing the pusher blocksy upon each oscillation of the oscillatory frame, horizontal longitudinal cutters operatively carried by the horizontal frame portions and adapted to be actuated normally to the first mentioned cutters, means operatel upon actuation. of the last named cutters to store up energy for returning the pusher blocks and cutters to initial positions, means to release the latter means upon the limits of movements thereof being reached, said means to store up energy being actuable from the oscillatory frame, and adjustable means to limit the movements of the last named means.

JAMES A. ARVANITIS. 

